There are gimmick shows that are funny for a few episodes, but quickly lose steam. Why do they fail? Mainly because their gimmick doesn’t create a compelling character. A show about a talking horse ought to be good for a quick laugh and prompt cancelation. Mister Ed lasted five and a half seasons. What was the secret to this success? Casting. There are moments when you think Mister Ed isn’t merely a horse moving his lips while an actor speaks lines. The horse has charm, wit and displays more emotion than the cast of The Hills. His interactions with Wilbur (Alan Young) have more chemistry than any human with Charlie Sheen. The equine thespian knew how to deliver the zinger. He’s not merely a talking horse, he’s the famous Mister Ed. Mister Ed: The Complete Third Season is another 26 episodes of horse sense including three visits from Richard Deacon (Lumpy Rutherford’s dad on Leave It to Beaver).
“Ed Gets Amnesia” gives us Deacon’s first guest gig. After the horse gets bonked in the head with a bucket of carrots. His memory gets wiped out so he hasn’t a clue about Wilbur or himself. It’s up to Deacon to save the day as a doctor. “Wilbur and Ed in Show Biz” has them decide on the limelight after catching a lame elephant on TV. “The Bashful Clipper” has Wilbur discover the guy who cuts Ed’s hair can do ladies hair. Connie (Carol Post) gets Wilbur to partner on a salon for the guy. Trouble happens at the grand opening when they discover the hairstylist is too nervous around strange women. How will Wilbur protect his investment? “Wilbur in the Lion’s Den” gets Wilbur a shot at a top dollar gig, but Mister Ed is all about wanting to fly a kite. Wilbur can’t have the neighbors wondering why his horse is holding a string in his mouth. Charles Lane (It’s a Wonderful Life) is the guest star.
Thanksgiving gets a proper special with “Ed, the Pilgrim.” Wilbur wants to give his wife a break by eating out for the holiday. Mister Ed can’t handle the thought of eating alone. He’ll cry in his hay if the whole family doesn’t dine together. Ed tells the untold story about how it was a talking horse that saved Plymouth Plantation by getting seeds from the Indians. Iron Eyes Cody plays the Chief Thundercloud. He would later go on to be the face of the crying Indian in anti-litter PSA. Another historical tale from New England gets tapped in “Ed and Paul Revere.” This is not a flashback episode. Turns out neighbor Roger Addison (Larry Keating) is a distant relative of Paul Revere. He gets the town to pay for a sculpture dedicated to Paul so that he can pose as the hero of the Midnight Ride. Mister Ed wants to pose as the horse with the hopes it will make him a stud with the fillies. Hans Conried (Rocky and Bullwinkle) is the sculptor who spends more time eating Wilbur’s food than chiseling in the backyard.
“Big Pine Lodge” lets Wilbur and Connie take a vacation to a ski lodge. They take along Mister Ed since he hates to be left alone. Things go bad when Addison is the victim of card cheats in the lounge. Wilbur comes up with a plan to out cheat the cheats by having Mister Ed pose as a mounted animal like a deer head. “The Price of Apples” heightens tensions with the neighbors when he won’t stop eating out of Addison’s apple tree. Things get so nasty that Richard Deacon must come back to attempt to fix Ed’s compulsive behavior. “Doctor Ed” breaks Addison’s TV set. Wilbur nicely loans him the set in the stable which upsets Mister Ed. The horse is missing his medical dramas. Workout guru Jack La Lanne makes a cameo. “The Blessed Event” brings excitement to Mister Ed when he gets news of his impeding uncle status. He uses a typewriter to make a list of good baby names. Naturally this list leads to a lot of confusion that requires the attention of Richard Deacon.
The numerous appearances of Richard Deacon on Mister Ed: The Complete Third Season almost makes him seem like he’d become the Major Bellows of the horse world. The sophisticated mind trapped in the insane world of a man and his talking horse. He also had a good energy while working with both owner and equine. That was what made this series special. It wasn’t merely Wilbur and guest star mugging it with a horse. Mister Ed was a real character and not a prop.
The Episodes
“Ed Gets Amnesia,” “Wilbur, the Good Samaritan,” “Wilbur and Ed in Showbiz,” “The Bashful Clipper,” “Ed and the Allergy,” “Horse Sense,” “Wilbur in the Lion’s Den,” “Horse Party,” “Ed the Pilgrim,” “Disappearing Horse,” “Ed and Paul Revere,” “Wilbur the Masher,” “Horse of a Different Color,” “Ed and the Bicycle,” “Ol’ Rockin’ Chair,” “Big Pine Lodge,” “Unemployment Show,” “Horse Talk,” “Ed and the Secret Service,” “Working Wives,” “Wilbur’s Father,” “The Price of Apples,” “Ed the Zebra,” “Ed the Emancipator,” “Doctor Ed” and “The Blessed Event”
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The black and white transfers are sharper than the version running on THiS. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. The levels will allow you to hear Mister Ed’s snort.
Audio Interview With Alan Young From Shokus Internet Radios Stu’s Show is nearly two hours long. The audio plays with the video of a few episodes playing in the background. Stu does a great job getting stories out of the actor. Did you know he plays the bagpipes?
Mister Ed: The Complete Third Season brings more of the horse humor. While this sitcom could have gassed out, the chemistry between Wilbur and Mister Ed keeps up the comic energy. The three guest star moments from Richard Deacon also punch up the season.
Shout! Factory presents Mister Ed: The Complete Third Season. Starring: Alan Young, Connie Hines and Mister Ed. Boxset Contents: 26 Episodes on 4 DVDs. Released on DVD: June 1, 2010. Available at Amazon.com.
